Half of Americans don’t understand what a year is

â€¢ US mathematics and science K-12 education ranks 48th worldwide.
â€¢ 49% of U.S. adults don’t know how long it takes for the Earth to circle the sun.
â€¢ China has replaced the United States as the world’s top high-technology exporter.

Grim statistics from a new report on science education in the U.S. We are no where near number 1 and we are slipping. Science and mathematics literacy is also directly correlated with economic growth. As the linked article states, if the U.S. education matched that of Finland, the U.S. economy would grow 9-16%.

gratuitous disclaimer

The Stuff of Life does not necessarily represent the views of North Dakota State University or the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. This blog is written and maintained by Greg Cook, Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The contents and commentary on this blog are solely his opinions.